Improvement in printing-presses



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEo VILLIAM M. CLARK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOSHUA W'. DAUGHADAY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,927, dated October 13, 1874; application filed April 1, 1874.

To all whom 'it may concern:

. Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. CLARK, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Printing-Presses and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my press. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective section of the platen and its bed. Fig. 4L is a sectional elevation, showing the action ot the griping-iinger.

This invention relates to a class of printing-presses ot' an inexpensive character, which are designed for the printing of small forms, and adapted to amateur work generally. Its object is to produce a small press ot' efficient character, with very few parts, and of cheap construction; and it consists in the method of constructing and arranging the parts in relation to each other, as will be more particularly pointed out.

A A are the side frames, unit-ed by crossbars B B. The bed-plate O is rigidly secured transversely across one end ot' the frames A A, and stands in nearly a vertical position. The chase D is fitted to the front of the bed C, its lower edge being confined by small lugs cast on the frame A A, and its upper edge is secured by a spring-clasp, E, or other convenient and proper devices. The platen consists of a flanged plate, F, which tits over the edges, and rests upon the face of the platen bed-plate G, the said flange answering a double purpose of sti'ening the platenplate, and holding it firmly from moving up and down, or endwise, thus securing a sharp and clear impression. The ordinary clamps c e are attached to hold the blanket and fac ing-paper in place. The platen F is secured y to the face of the platen-bed G by means of one or more screws, y, which pass loosely through said platen bed-plate into the platen. An elastic attachment ot' the platen to the platen bed-plate is produced by the screws g, also passing through a spring, h, made ot' metal or other suitable material, to enable said platen to yield for adjustment. Under the spring It is a slot, fi, cut in the back ot' the platen bed-plate G in such a manner that while the spring h is supported at either end said slot is sufficiently deep in the center to allow the depression of said spring h to adjust the impression to be produced by turning the impression-screws H, in the usual manner. The platen bed-plate G is mounted upon the arms I I, which extend below the said platen bed-plate, and are pivoted to the frame A A nearly or quite in the plane ot' the bed C, so that as said platen moves to-` ward the bed it comes up squarely. The levers J J are pivoted to the back of the platen bedplate G, opposite the center thereof, and said levers are connected to the frame by the short connecting-levers or toggles K K, so that as the. outer ends of said levers are dcpressed the toggles cause the levers and platen to advance, and they are so adjusted that at the instant the platen and type come in contact the toggle-centers are reduced to the same plane, or very nearly, and therefore the impression receives the well-known power due to the toggle combination. As the other ends of the levers are raised the platen is withdrawn from the impression, and its own weight also serves to assist in its retrograde motion. Therefore no springs are required to assist in the operation of this press. The power is positive, and is applied directly behind the platen, so that there can be no inequality of impression on account ot' yielding or springing ot' the parts or connections.

The arm L is made elastic, and is secured behind the platen with an adjusting-slot, so that it can be moved back or forth, to or from the cent-er of the platen. It is-bent outward at its lower part, so that it comes in contact with the face ot' the lower side of the chase D, immediately after the platen commences to move, and is thereby depressed, and binds the sheet to the platen while the impression is taking place, and the pressure vis continued suiiciently long to cause the detachment ot' the sheet from the face ot' the type after the impression is finished.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is- The platen F, constructed with a peripheral rim or iiange fitted over the edge of the platen-bed G, combined with elastic connections g h, and adiustingscrews H II, as set forth.

Witnesses:

J. R. DEXTER., J. W. DAUcnADAr.

W'M. M. CLARK. 

